“Withdrawal”

Chapter 5

 

            Hutch quickly made for the alley, just past the bakery and the adjacent hardware store.  The only way was to go around the back so he wouldn’t be seen.  At the end of the alley, he checked out the street and then, crouching, he swiftly moved from parked car to parked car and made it sight unseen across the street.  Standing straight as a rod against the building, he paused to catch his breath and control his rapidly beating heart.  He silently made his way along the brick bank building coming up from the rear.  At the fourth window from the front, Hutch knelt and carefully pushed on the window.  It didn’t give.  He moved slowly forward to push on the third window.  The third window gave slightly, and he winced as it squeaked when he pushed it open.  He hoped no one inside the bank had heard it.  The window wasn’t very large, though it was rectangular in shape.  He carefully lowered his right leg down, finding the sink just below.  He held his breath as he slid the rest of his body through the small window.  Pulling his gun from its holster, Hutch silently moved up near the door.  Finally, he allowed himself the luxury of a breath.  

            The next step wouldn’t be as easy, but at least he was inside and that much closer to Starsky.  At the thought of his friend, Hutch pictured him lying there, possibly bleeding to death from a gunshot wound.  He recalled another time Starsky had been shot.  Only that time, they had been in an Italian restaurant and Hutch had been with him.  That time, he’d been there to care and protect his partner, unlike now.  They’d been lucky then, and he prayed their luck would hold this time as well.

            Slowly opening the bathroom door only a few inches, Hutch looked down the hallway, but there was no one in his view.  There were two doorways to his right and he recalled from Katie’s drawing that they were the stockroom and the break room.  Katie had told them no one was in either room at the time, and he hoped that was still true.  Slipping out from behind the bathroom door, he silently moved down the hall.  Hearing a noise coming from the direction of the lobby, Hutch slid into the stockroom.  It was still empty.

            Carefully checking down the hall once again, he exited the room and took the five steps to the break-room door.  Again, luck was with him; the room was still empty.  Allowing himself only a few seconds to catch his breath and calm his racing heart, he again checked the last few steps of the hallway.  Seeing no one, he stepped out and cautiously moved down the remaining hallway.  He neared the lobby, every sense on alert.  He made out the sounds of one or two people talking quietly—no, whispering—and someone pacing.  A male voice startled him.

            “When are they gonna call back?” asked Billy.

            “I don’t know.  Maybe we better threaten to shoot the cop again.”

Hutch heard several quick steps and then the second voice.  “Hey, Cop.”  The only response Hutch heard was a thud and a moan.  “I said, hey, Cop.” 

It was all Hutch could do to contain himself.  He wanted to rush in there but knew if he did, he’d put Starsky at a greater risk.  For now, he could only bite his lip and wait.   

            Starsky looked up at Tony through half-closed eyes and responded in a weakening voice, “What?  Things not goin’ your way, Tony?  You aren’t gonna get outta here and you know it.  Don’t keep lyin’ to the kid.”

            His response only earned him another kick from Tony, and Starsky couldn’t control the louder moan that escaped. 

Okay, Starsk, keep your mouth shut, Hutch pleaded silently.

            “Yeah, well, we’ll just see how much they wanna keep you alive, Copper,” threatened Tony.

            Hutch heard the footsteps getting softer and realized Tony must have walked away again.  He breathed a sigh of relief.  Thank goodness, maybe Tony will leave Starsky alone now.  Hang in there, buddy, I’m comin’.

Now, if he only knew Billy’s position...

            Hutch took the last few steps to the end of the hall, as cautiously and silently as possible, wishing he were invisible.  At the end of the hallway, stood the large red planter, containing the tall palm, exactly where Katie had said it was located.  To the right of the plant, were the teller counters, and to the left, the manager’s office.  Katie had said the hostages were in the back corner near the manager’s office.  Nothing appeared to have changed.

            Hutch hid behind the planter, but realizing it provided him with only minimum protection, he prepared to move to the additional coverage provided by the teller counters.  Surveying the only portion of the room visible to him, Hutch swallowed his quick intake of air as Starsky came into view.  There was blood covering the left side of Starsky’s shirt and windbreaker.  He was slumped against the center counter, extremely pale, with labored breathing, his left arm hanging useless at his side.

            Starsky blinked rapidly several times, trying to clear his vision.  For a minute he thought he could see Hutch crouching behind the planter.  I must be hallucinating, he thought.

Starsky shook his head slightly, trying to clear the image, but Hutch’s blond hair was still visible behind the plant.  Starsky felt some of the tension drain out of him.  Hutch, at last!

Realizing the palm didn’t offer much protection and that Hutch was going to need to make a break for the cover of the counters, Starsky started moving and moaning to draw attention to himself and away from Hutch’s direction.

            “What’s the matter, Cop?” asked Tony from across the room.  He was hidden behind the draperies and, using his gun, moved them aside to survey the area and street in front of the bank building.

            At the sound of the moan, Hutch made his move, sliding behind the counters, crouching, arm up, and gun ready.  No one seemed to have heard.  Thanks, Starsk...I owe you one, he silently thanked his partner, knowing the pain that movement must have caused him.      

            Hutch was trying to get a fix on Tony’s location when he heard Starsky ask, “What are you lookin’ for out that window?  Someone to rescue you?  Hey, Billy, why don’t you go over there and help your partner?”

            “Billy, you stay right there,” ordered Tony.  “Don’t listen to him, and if he says anything else, hit him ‘side the head to shut ‘im up.”

            “Tony?” asked Billy nervously.  “When’s that cop gonna call back?  I wanna get outta here.”

            “Soon, soon.”

            Hutch leaned around the corner, staying as low as possible.  He tried to catch Starsky’s eye, knowing Starsky probably wouldn’t look his direction for fear of giving away his cover. 

Please, Starsk, just look this way once, Hutch willed his thoughts to his partner.  As though on cue, Starsky glanced toward him, and Hutch gave him the thumbs up sign.  Fighting the urge to smile in gratitude, Starsky returned the signal by raising three fingers on his right hand just above his right thigh.  Lowering one finger at a time, he started counting down—three...two...one. 

            Hutch shot out from behind the counter, shooting toward the windows and Tony.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Starsky manage to roll a few feet across the floor and trip Billy, as he turned toward the sound Hutch made.  That was all the time he needed.  Billy went down.  Hutch’s bullet hit Tony squarely in the chest, and he crumpled to the floor.  Screams filled the room.

            Hutch rushed Billy, knocking him back to the floor and quickly cuffing him.  He then checked Tony to be sure that he no longer posed a threat.  Picking up both Tony’s and Billy’s guns, he dropped to his partner’s side.

            Starsky’s roll to trip Billy had caused him a great deal of pain, and the bullet wound had begun bleeding again.  Kneeling next to Starsky, Hutch pulled out his handkerchief and pressed it to his partner’s wound.  “Nice job, there, buddy...but not a wise move.  just hang in there and you’ll be at the hospital in no time.” 

            He carefully brushed back the sweaty curls, explaining, “I’ve got to open the door and let Dobey in.  I’ll be right back.  Don’t go away.”

Hutch stood up, walked over to the bank door, and unlocked it.  He signaled to Dobey and the officers stationed around the building.  He knew in just a few seconds, the place would be swarming with officers.  He hurried back to Starsky.  Sinking down on the floor next to him, he cradled Starsky’s head in his lap.  Gently brushing the brown curls from his now unconscious partner’s forehead, he whispered, “Just hang in there, babe.  It’ll be okay.  Thanks for all your help.  I couldn’t’ve done without you.”